1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric-motor three-wheeled vehicles. More particularly, to an electric-motor three-wheeled vehicle that can reduce power loss during power transmission by providing an arrangement of drive-train electric components for enabling a satisfactory vehicle body layout.
2. Description of Background Art
Various electric vehicles are known which each have a motor as a drive source. Such electric vehicles need various drive-train electric components, such as a drive motor, a secondary battery and a motor control unit for driving the motor, which are not included in an engine vehicle. Fuel cell-powered vehicles include a fuel cell which generates electric power through the chemical reaction between hydrogen as fuel gas and oxygen contained in reaction gas (air) and drive a motor with the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. The fuel cell-powered vehicles need to incorporate a supercharger for reaction gas, a motor control driver for a fuel cell-cooling water pump, a voltage converter for increasing or decreasing the voltage of electric power supplied from the fuel cell. In particular, for straddle type vehicles with a small excess space, a method of arranging such electric components has a large influence on vehicle body layout.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-28988 discloses a straddle type fuel cell-powered motorcycle configured wherein an almost rectangular parallelepipedic fuel cell is disposed in the lower portion of a vehicle body so as to orient its longitudinal direction in the back and forth direction of the vehicle body. An almost cylindrical hydrogen cylinder is disposed above the fuel cell. In addition, electrical components are concentrated and installed rearward of the seat and above a rear wheel.
However, in the configuration of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-28988, since the electric components are disposed remote from the fuel cell, the drive motor and the like, the wiring used to connect the components is long. In addition, the vehicle body configuration of the electric-motor vehicle may be a scooter type three-wheeled vehicle that has a low floor type foot rest portion disposed between a steering handlebar and a seat and is provided with two rear wheels. In such a case needs an arrangement method different from that of the motorcycle as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-28988 is required.